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Great Siege Monument

Great Siege Monument is a commemorative monument to the Great Siege of Malta, located in Valletta, Malta. Designed by sculptor Antonio Sciortino, it consists of three bronze figures representing Faith, Fortitude (or Valor), and Civilization, set on a granite base. The monument was inaugurated on 8 May 1927. It later appeared on Maltese stamps issued in 1956, 1962, and 1972, and on the Maltese 50-cent coin first minted in 1972 and used in circulation until 1986. The monument was restored between August and September 2010 and is listed in the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.

Great Siege Monument with three bronze figures on a white tiered base in front of a stone building
The Great Siege Monument stands in a public square in Valletta, with three bronze figures on a white pedestal.
March 2013 © Frank Vincentz · CC BY-SA 3.0
Great Siege Monument with three bronze figures in a sunny paved plaza surrounded by trees and historic buildings.
The Great Siege Monument stands in a sunlit plaza framed by trees and nearby historic architecture.
October 2017 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Great Siege Monument with three bronze draped figures on a white base beside a street lamp and cannon.
The Great Siege Monument stands in a town square, with a cannon placed in front of the bronze figures.
December 2012 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
Upper figures of the Great Siege Monument showing a crowned male figure flanked by two draped female figures.
The Great Siege Monument shown in a close view of its weathered bronze figures.
March 2023 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Great Siege Monument bronze bust on a tall stone pedestal near two red telephone booths in Valletta.
The Great Siege Monument stands on a street corner in Valletta beside two red telephone booths.
October 2017 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleGreat Siege Monument
TypeMonument
Original nameMonumento do Grande Cerco
Alternative nameMonument to the Fallen of the Great Siege
Polish titlePomnik Wielkiego Oblężenia

Historical context

Commemorated eventThe Great Siege of Malta

Creator

Casting methodLost-wax casting
Place sculptedRome
Model locationRome
Model date1926
ArtistAntonio Sciortino

Physical characteristics

Number of figuresThree
Figure arrangementOne male figure in the center and two female figures on either side

Materials

Figure materialBronze
Pedestal materialGranite
Base materialGranite

Technique

StyleNeoclassical sculpture
Stylistic featuresPowerful, straight lines associated with Sciortino's avant-garde style

Appearance

CompositionThree bronze figures on a granite pedestal

Iconography and meaning

Right figureFemale figure representing Civilization, holding a mask of Minerva, the Roman goddess of Wisdom
Pose referenceThe figures' positions are closely related to Davide Calandra's relief La Glorificazione della Dinastia Sabauda at Palazzo Montecitorio in Rome
Central figureMale figure representing Fortitude or Valour, bare-chested, wearing a three-pointed crown and some armour, holding a sword and a shield
Left figureFemale figure representing Faith, holding a papal tiara
Depicted figuresFaith, Fortitude or Valor, and Civilization

Location and ownership

LocationMisraħ l-Assedju l-Kbir, Triq il-Repubblika, beside St. John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta, Malta
Original orientationFacing Auberge d'Auvergne
Later building oppositeThe Courts of Justice building, which replaced Auberge d'Auvergne in the 1960s after the original building was severely damaged in World War II
Inventory number01144
Heritage listingListed in the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands

History and restoration

Later useUsed as a makeshift memorial to journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia since October 2017 by her family and anti-government protesters
Court rulingIn 2020, a court found that then Minister for Justice Owen Bonnici's orders to repeatedly clear the memorial violated protesters' human rights to freedom of expression
Removal of tributesTributes were removed daily for a time by government employees
Historical contextThe unveiling reflected the language question and political tensions of the time
Restoration periodAugust to September 2010
Unveiling attendeesSir Thomas Alexander Vans Best, British Lieutenant-Governor of Malta
Unveiling speakersChief Justice Arturo Mercieca, in Italian; priest, philosopher and poet Anastasio Cuschieri, in Maltese
Unveiling placeValletta
Unveiling date8 May 1927

Significance

Appearance on stampsFeatured on three Maltese stamps issued in 1956, 1962, and 1972
Appearance on coinFeatured on the Maltese 50-cent coin, first minted in 1972 and used for general circulation until replaced in 1986
DescriptionConsidered one of the most characteristic and emblematic sculptures on the island